After 52 anxious days of detention in a Sri Lankan prison, four fishermen from Kakinada have finally secured their release. Their return to India on Friday has brought immense relief and joy to their families, who had endured weeks of uncertainty. The breakthrough came following the intervention of TDP Rajya Sabha MP Sana Satish Babu, whose efforts in New Delhi expedited the process.

The fishermen K. Srinu Venkateswar, Karinokaraj Borria, Chanda Nageswara Rao, and Branmantham, had travelled to Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu to purchase a new fishing trawler. While returning, a navigation malfunction led them inadvertently into Sri Lankan waters. On August 4, the Sri Lankan Navy apprehended them and shifted them to Jaffna prison, where they remained for nearly two months.

Efforts for their release were made, with Indian Consulate officials led by Rajiv engaging in multiple rounds of talks with Sri Lankan authorities. Though an agreement was reached to repatriate the fishermen on September 25, the process stalled at the last minute due to coordination lapses and procedural hurdles, leaving families devastated.

It was then that MP Sana Satish Babu, acting on the directions of the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, intervened decisively. He escalated the matter to Dr. Arja Srikanth, Commissioner of Andhra Pradesh Bhavan, who immediately met Pankaj Verma, Principal Director (Operations) of the Indian Coast Guard. Coordination was swiftly established with Sri Lankan Coast Guard Commander Dinesh Jay, and the release process was fast-tracked.

By Friday afternoon, the four fishermen were formally freed from Jaffna jail and escorted to the International Maritime Boundary Line; they were officially handed over to the Indian Coast Guard near Mandapam base in Rameswaram.